Amateurish tags and scrawlings throughout the ancient tourist town are becoming an eyesore.
Hoi An boasts unique architecture influenced by China, Japan, France and Portugal because of its history as a 16th- and 17th-century trading port but its most iconic features are the bright yellow walls stretching throughout the neighborhoods surrounding the river. Whether they were painted the stark canary shade as a sign of royalty or simply a practical way to absorb heat, they have become popular selfie backdrops. Unfortunately, they are increasingly being sullied by garish graffiti, as observed by Tuoi Tre.
An hour outside the city in Tam Thanh Commune, artists from around the world transformed numerous walls into striking murals through detailed and imaginative street art. That's not what's going on in Hoi An where squirts of unskilled spray paint are slapdashed throughout the city in mere minutes, marring otherwise charismatic plaster.
While signs are posted in Vietnamese to warn of the damage and illegality of defacing the walls, there is seemingly nothing being done to ensure that the city's unique color palette remains unblemished. Similarly, unlike in Saigon, there are no signs that more skilled painters are putting in the time and care to elevate the graffiti to street art, often with positive messages.
Check out the disgraces below:
[Photos via Tuoi Tre]
